SXSW: The Snake

“Jamie… I thought you were going to stop being an idiot.”

After a stint in jail, 40-something wild child Jamie (Susan Kent) returns home only to find herself locked out of her own house. Facing a battle with her equally irresponsible mom Anne (Robin Duke) over her beloved grandmother’s estate, Jamie is determined to get the house back. She enlists her loser boyfriend Davey Danger (Dan Petronijevic) to help her break into the house. But he’s too busy thinking about getting laid to actually help. Her self-absorbed best friend Laura (Emma Hunter) lets her stay at her penthouse loft much to the chagrin of her husband Steve (Jonathan Torrens). When the neglected Steve gets a bit too involved in Jamie’s life, her world starts to spiral. Can Jamie get back on her feet and reclaim what’s rightfully hers?

Directed by Jenna MacMillan and written by Susan Kent, The Snake is a quirky coming-of-middle-age story with a satisfying redemption arc. Kent plays just the sort of flawed protagonist we’re seeing more of in cinema: self-destructive women in an emotional battle for survival. Jamie’s crazy antics are balanced out with the heartwarming message about chosen family and the healing power of dogs. Robin Duke (Schitt’s Creek) who is delightfully deranged as the problematic mother and she steals the show whenever she’s on screen.

The eccentric cast of characters add spice to Jamie’s story but there are too many of them. Characters like the best friend’s son and the twin duo Captain Stink could have easily been cut. I also would have liked to have seen more scenes with prison guard Theresa (Kim Roberts) and drag queen/bar owner Jimbo (Bon Bon Scott) as they add more emotional weight to Jamie’s story.

The Snake had its world premiere at the 2026 SXSW Film & Television Festival. It’s a Canadian production filmed on Prince Edward Island and with support from Telefilm Canada and the Prince Edward Island Film Fund. It was recently picked up for distribution by Game Theory Films.